I think that one of the major reasons why caste system continues to persist is because it has snob appeal.

Simply by virtue of being born into a certain caste one can claim superiority over many other people, without having to do anything to earn said superiority.
So even a very poor illeterate Brahmin can feel proud of his caste and show off his sacred thread while looking down on all other castes as inferior.
The OBCs can feel smug in the knowledge that they are not as low down the scale as dalits while untouchables have their own hierarchy.

People are always trying to improve their caste status (except when they want to get govt. benefits with some upper castes lying about it), but the bulk is not very interested in doing away with the system.

Casteism appeals to the inner snob and gives men the greatest happiness possible of sneering at others.

This is true in the more developed areas and major cities of the country, where caste becomes more of a belief system than any material social status thing. In cities, caste becomes more of a symbolic thing as one could be a dalit or a brahmin and work in the same occupation. But in backward poorer areas, caste literally means one is born into a particular social status and occupation and has no hopes of moving out of it.

(06-Sep-2010, 10:52 PM)nastikashiromani Wrote: I think that one of the major reasons why caste system continues to persist is because it has snob appeal.

Simply by virtue of being born into a certain caste one can claim superiority over many other people, without having to do anything to earn said superiority.
So even a very poor illeterate Brahmin can feel proud of his caste and show off his sacred thread while looking down on all other castes as inferior.
The OBCs can feel smug in the knowledge that they are not as low down the scale as dalits while untouchables have their own hierarchy.

People are always trying to improve their caste status (except when they want to get govt. benefits with some upper castes lying about it), but the bulk is not very interested in doing away with the system.

Casteism appeals to the inner snob and gives men the greatest happiness possible of sneering at others.

I wonder if this behaviour - i am superior to you because I am in this class, is not restricted to Hindu Caste system. There seems to be a human tendency - I am white, you are black, therefore I am better than you,......., I am educated, you are not, therefore...., I am rich, you are not......, I am this, you are not, etc. One seems to feel better, if there is someone who can be perceived to be in the lower rung of your ladder. I am curious if this feeling can be related to our meta cognition that I have better genes therefore, I am more likely to survive than you do! May be biologists in this forum can shed some light! If such behaviour is in our genes then, there is no cure, One can struggle through, trying for, behaviour change through awareness!

(19-Sep-2010, 03:10 PM)Shantanu Wrote: Brahmins propagate the caste system more than any other group because people are fearful of God and the Brahmins exploit this fear.

I wouldn't indulge you in Brahmin bashing, but I'd rather question as to why the system still exists in this day of age and reason. Also I should wonder how we can better spread the word about the evils of social segregation and point out the inhumanity behind it. Pointing fingers to a key demographic of people is easy and making generic statements is tempting, but actually identifying and dealing with the problem is key.
Peace

"It's alright, I rarely meet anyone who's able to read it properly. Although personally, I never thought that it to be an odd of a name. Once I give people the pronunciation, they tend to remember my name by easily associating me with it. A unique face, a unique moniker."